UPCOMING SCHEDULED LOTTE MEYERSON TIKKUN OLAM PROJECTS:

• MANNA High Holiday Food Collection – click to see the flyer on page 15 of "The Menorah.
• 1st Friday each month from 1-3 PM @ MANNA– CBHT volunteer team.
•          Contact Wendy Capelouto at tkmanna@bethhatephila.org to help.
• 4th Thursday each month @ noon – CBHT Vets shelter meal serving. 
•         Contact Hilary Paradise at tkmonthlymeals@bethhatephila.org to help.
• Monday, November 15th @ 4:30 PM—next LMTO meeting

QUESTIONS FOR THE HIGH HOLIDAYS
Adapted from rac.org

The High Holidays provides an opportunity to reflect about the past year – instances in which we excelled and those where we could have done better.  These questions are intended to honor all of us by helping to identify and acknowledge our missteps so that we may, ultimately, do better going forward. 

1. WHEN HAVE I COMMITTED MICROAGGRESSIONS? 

Microaggressions are often unintended slights, invalidations, and insults directed toward members of marginalized communities; in Judaism, such microaggressions can be considered lashon hara, “bad speech.”  Even with our best intentions, we’ve all committed microaggressions in some way or another.  It’s important that we not block these instances from our minds due to guilt or denial, but rather acknowledge them, reckon with them, and determine how we can do better.  We are capable of committing small but meaningful good deeds concurrently – so just imagine what else we are capable of when we act even more mindfully.

2. WHEN HAVE I GIVEN IN TO MY “SENSE OF URGENCY”? 

When we see a problem, we often want to fix it immediately, which has the unfortunate side effect of limiting inclusion, democratic decision-making, and overall benefit to the marginalized communities we aim to serve.  We must ask ourselves, then: When have I unintentionally sacrificed the long-term benefit of others for a quick win to meet a quota or check a mark off a short-term goal list?  Inversely, when we take time to center ourselves and plan ahead, to understand that everything in life is in a constant state of process, we see beautiful results, and we know what’s possible in the new year ahead, as well.

3. HOW HAVE I USED MY PRIVILEGE?

“Privilege” isn’t a dirty word!  While not all privilege is the same, we all have it in some varying degree. Therefore, the question we should ask ourselves this month is not whether we have privilege but rather how we have used our privilege – and when we have fallen short.  When have you practiced genuine allyship when others have needed it the most?  When might you have been able to act differently or do better?  Regardless of what our individual answers are and how well we’ve succeeded in using our privilege to uphold the rights and dignity of others, we can still grow and improve, and this time of year is the perfect time to make that happen.

The LMTO Committee wishes these High Holidays may be a time of healing and empowerment as we move – as a united Jewish community – into the new year ahead.  We look forward to working to repair the world together. 

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK COLLECTION

Please drop off new or gently used children’s picture book in the tubs at the temple.  These will be donated to groups that support underserved families who do not have access to books.  Books in the homes of children is a strong predictor of future academic success.

Financial donations will also be accepted to purchase books for particular groups.  Checks may be made out to CBHT Tikkun Olam with Book Collection on the Note line.  For further information contact Jenny Mercer at mersweet222@gmail.com.